'Will reopen Congress scams if BJP wins', says Amit Shah

BJP national president Amit Shah on Thursday mounted an attack on the Congress regime on the issue of corruption stating that his party will reopen “scams” in the Siddaramaiah government if voted to power.

Addressing a press conference to mark the end of the party’s campaign for the May 12 polls, Shah exuded confidence that the BJP will form a government on its own in Karnataka.

To a query on why the BJP could not take the Arkavathy Layout illegal land denotification scam against the Congress to its logical end, Shah said, “The Congress government is in power, but when the BJP is voted to power, we will not only revisit the Arkavathy Layout scam but all other scams in the Siddamaiah regime.”

The BJP has been using corruption as a poll plank to lash out at the Siddaramaiah government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had levelled the “10% commission” charge against the Congress recently.

“People’s money has been swindled by the Congress government and an account has been placed before them. The only exception will be Siddaramaiah’s Hublot watch controversy as the costly watch is in possession of the Assembly secretariat,” he said.

Embroiled in a controversy over the diamond-studded Hublot watch in March 2016, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had handed it over to the Assembly Speaker, asking him to make it a state asset.

“However, he can still answer whether customs duty had been paid for the watch,” Shah added.

He said the BJP will win at least 130 seats in the 224-member Assembly and it will not need the support of any other party. Shah charged that the Congress had become “desperate” to win the Assembly elections and was using “undemocratic” means. “The fake voter ID card scandal in RR Nagar showed its desperation,” Shah said. He said the BJP will ensure the sanctity of the elections is protected.

“The Congress wants to win the elections hook or crook... The developments in the last three days have sent a shock wave across India among those who are concerned about strengthening democracy,” he said, referring to the seizure of “bogus” voter ID cards from an apartment in Bengaluru.

To a query, Shah said BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa will serve the full term as chief minister. “Yeddyurappa has the full backing of the Modi government,” he said.

He reiterated that mining baron Janardhan Reddy, an accused in mining case, has nothing do with the BJP, adding, “what I have said is final.”

Yeddyurappa had said Reddy could help the BJP win many seats, but the mining baron was barred from campaigning following Shah’s direction. On Nayaka community leader B Sriramulu, who is taking on Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru district, being made deputy chief minister, Shah said, “As of now, our focus is to fight the polls. Once it is over, we will sit down and discuss all issues.”

To another query, the BJP leader said the Congress’ separate religion tag to the Lingayat faith had no bearing on the polls.